Organic Easter basket ideas for babies and toddlers

Easter is a great time to celebrate Mother Nature, so skip the plastic grass and sugar-shocking candy and opt for organic treats and eco-friendly gifts for your tiny tots instead.

Focus on the rebirth and renewal of the season, beginning with the Easter basket in which your children will receive their holiday bounty.

• Choose reusable containers, such as a sand pail or toy toolbox for a basket that pulls double duty.
• Fill up handmade baskets made from organic materials, such as sweetgrass.
• Skip cellophane wrapping and plastic ribbons for a truly organic presentation.

Check out these candy-free Easter basket alternatives >>

Traditional Easter grass made of plastic will litter the earth for generations to come, so fill your child’s Easter basket with eco-friendly materials.

Grow your own lush Easter grass that is not just a tasty treat for the big bunny himself but also doubles as an educational activity for kids, like this kit from Spots and Ladybugs. “The Easter Grass-kit is a fantastic activity that can help instill a life-long appreciation for nature,” says Spots and Ladybugs co-founder Alison Zajac. “Because the process is simple and quick, kids as young as 3 can take pride in knowing that they did it themselves.”

If you don’t want to take the time to grow your own Easter grass, you can shred old newspapers and magazines to create colorful, recyclable bedding for your little one’s Easter treats, or purchase Easter grass fleece made from wool or another earth-friendly material.

Treat your little ones with these goodies that are cute, sweet and Mother Nature-approved.

• Candy – Pick up organic jelly beans from MotherNature.com or adorable organic chocolate bunnies from Lake Champlain Chocolates.
• Stuffies – Give a stuffed animal made from recycled plastic bottles or one made from recycled sweaters in your Easter baskets this year.
• Fair trade – Support the environment as well as the global economy by purchasing Easter goodies from a Fairtrade Foundation certified source.

With the help from Mom and Dad, even babies and toddlers can dye Easter eggs the organic way. Get step-by-step instructions from organic.org and try cool natural dyes, like onion skins and coffee (yes, really!) or order organic food coloring.

• Boil – Boil eggs with all-natural ingredients, such as brown onion skins for orange, red cabbage for sky blue or carrot tops for green. Or experiment and see what colors nature can give you!
• Soak – Soak hard boiled eggs in grape juice for lavender, beet juice for pink or strong brewed coffee for brown.
• Buy – Purchase natural food coloring from Seelecttea.com for Easter eggs that will color the planet happy.

Worried that your Easter basket ideas for babies and toddlers won’t make the organic grade? Ideas for Easter that are good for the planet don’t always have to be strictly organic. Materials that can be used more than once or that are made from recycled goods are a great way to celebrate Easter while making Mother Nature proud. Celebrate the Easter holiday and set a green example for your little ones at the same time.

More Easter ideas

Easter gift guide
Easter basket alternatives: Fill it with more than just candy
Hippity hoppity Easter baskets